Leonora Anna de Guzman

What people wore

Clothing as a valuable commodity

For many common people, clothing was so valuable that it was reused for years, listed in wills, and sometimes even used to pay funeral debts.

Daily life

Food costs and daily wages

For the price of just one blanca—half a maravedí—it was possible to purchase 9 fresh or salted sardines. An average laborer earned about 17 maravedís per day.

Work

Women's daily wages were strictly limited

In mid-16th-century Requena, women worked the same sun-to-sun hours as men but were paid only half a real (17 maravedíes) daily, regardless of the season.

Music

Religious villancicos in church

During religious festivals like Corpus Christi, church music featured villancicos sung in the vernacular language accompanied by multiple choirs and instruments.

At the table

Wine and simple carob drinks

Wine was considered a fundamental, energy-providing beverage for all, though commoners often drank poor-quality or adulterated versions compared to the wealthy. Aloja, a drink made from carob fruits, was another popular, rudimentary beverage served in taverns.

Getting around

Common travel methods and poor roads

During the late 16th century, people typically traveled on foot, by horse, or by mule, while wagons and carriages were rare, often uncomfortable, and sometimes prohibited for moral or social reasons. Transport was frequently easier on the backs of beasts than on wheels due to the poor quality of the roads.

What it cost

Rising bread prices in the 1550s

The price of a loaf of bread in Málaga surged from 7 maravedíes in 1553 to 24 maravedíes by May 1557 due to poor harvests.